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Willy Wonka
Medicine Man



Registered: 12/14/11
Posts: 2,109
Loc: The Other Side
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Dry Mono?
#22370379 - 10/12/15 08:16 PM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
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So I've had a few recent experiences with mono tubs not working. I have tried a few different things with my tubs with various results. One of the thing I did was to loosen the poly fill and place a computer fan pretty close to the tubs. The fan is not pointing directly at the tubs, but a a wall. After doing this I finally had a tub produce fruits. This would lead me to believe that a lack of fresh air exchange might be the leading reason I have been having problems with my tubs.
I am worried though that now my tubs might be drying out. I know with cakes we can simply weigh the cake, record the data and and see how much moisture they are/or are not losing while in their fruiting chamber. People on this site have said before to look for condensation on you mono tub walls. I know that condensation in a mono tub is only an indication of warmer temperatures inside the tub than what the outside air temperature is.
When a tub if filled with mycelium it becomes hard (for me anyways) just to take a look and tell if the tub is dry or not. With this being said, how can I tell if my tubs are getting dried out?
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gannondworf
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Registered: 07/21/14
Posts: 93
Last seen: 9 months, 22 days
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I really doubt that moisture content is making your tubs fail. Monotubs will not gain or lose any water without the growth of mushrooms. Furthermore, there's no way to add moisture without adding a vector for contamination. Monotubs weren't designed to have water added.
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Willy Wonka
Medicine Man



Registered: 12/14/11
Posts: 2,109
Loc: The Other Side
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No I'm not saying that it was the moisture content. I think it was because of a lack of fresh air exchange. I added the computer fan to it and everything took off. I have a few tubs right now. They are fully colonized and I have everything switched to fruiting conditions. I am worried that the fan (along with the extreme temperatures in my area)might be causing the tubs to dry out. I am not afraid of misting the tubs. They are fully colonized. Misting a fully colonized tub shouldn't be a cause for a contamination. I understand that tubs are generally just set and forget. I had to change a few things up to get my tubs to fruit though. I just want to know how to tell beyond just looking at the tub if they are drying out.
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gannondworf
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Registered: 07/21/14
Posts: 93
Last seen: 9 months, 22 days
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With the fan plus the polyfil, the tubs WILL dry on the surface. I've read that it is one of the conditions that triggers pinning. Rest assured they're still very wet on the inside. I would just kick back for the next two weeks. The tubs should be in full swing, or very close by then. If they're still dry and have no pins, then something could be amiss, but it sounds like you may be over analyzing.
Edited by gannondworf (10/12/15 09:27 PM)
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filthyknees
no coincidence


Registered: 03/08/13
Posts: 6,283
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Casing 
How to see if it's dry. Does it look like morning dew on the surface? Or Mars? Good vs bad
-------------------- But if you're in a hurry, and really got to go If you're in a hurry, might have to find out slow That it's one thing to try and another to fly You get there quicker just a step at a time It's one thing to bark, another to bite The show ain't over till you pack up at night
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PussyFart
Retired Cultivation Extrodinaire



Registered: 04/08/12
Posts: 22,502
Loc: Orbiting Earth
Last seen: 17 days, 22 hours
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Quote:
gannondworf said: I really doubt that moisture content is making your tubs fail. Monotubs will not gain or lose any water without the growth of mushrooms. Furthermore, there's no way to add moisture without adding a vector for contamination.
Monotubs will lose moisture from evaporation if they are getting too much FAE, and once it is fully colonized it is contam resistant.....so the whole concept that "there's no way to add moisture without adding a vector for contamination." is nonsense....
Quote:
gannondworf said: Monotubs weren't designed to have water added.
True, but water can be added if needed.
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THIS HOBBY IS NOT FOR THE IMPATIENT! PLEASE BE PATIENT, DON'T BE A PATIENT! A Tale of 10 Isolates, GT Cluster Clone Monotubs, RR's Let's Grow Mushrooms DVD, SGFC(Shotgun Fruiting Chamber), Monotub Tek, Damion5050's Coir Tek, TL's Tek List, Frank's Tek List, EvilMushroom666's Pasteurization Tek, How It Should & Shouldn't Look - NEW CULTIVATORS GUIDE *** *** AFGHAN KUSH GROW LOG *** ***
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Pastywhyte
Say hello to my little friend



Registered: 09/15/12
Posts: 37,810
Loc: Canada
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You need surface condensation in a tub, if its running dry there are a few things I would do.
First kill the fan. I never use one and the tub will cycle air just fine without one. If your climate is dry I would avoid it for sure.
Second, cheap polyfil can be hard to get tight enough. Skip the walmart poly.
Third, a casing is an easy way to compensate for a dry tub. Provides microclimate and a decent pin surface.
Fourth, if you think the tub is getting dry, don't wait for it to get all matted before you do something. A light mist will go a long way.
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MushLover2552
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Registered: 08/13/15
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Last seen: 7 years, 6 months
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random and maybe uneducated question, but;
Lots o' FAE + heavy misting -versus- Less FAE + little/no misting
Now, I'm not too knowledgeable on fungi/mycelial colonies/networks besides what I've read here and the first 10 pages of "the mushroom cultivator, but could heavy misting be more beneficial to fruitbodies than less fae/no misting (tighter polyfil), assuming moisture content in tub is the same either way?
In my 'theory', if you mist a sub more, it'll absorb the water through the mycelium, and thru the mycelium to the fruitbodies. will constant (or enhanced if it already is constant) water movement thru mycelium transport more nutrients (due to recent breakdown or nutrients "stuck in the pipes") to the fruitbodies?
again, my knowledge isn't that great, thanks for reading..
Edited by MushLover2552 (10/13/15 09:44 AM)
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Pastywhyte
Say hello to my little friend



Registered: 09/15/12
Posts: 37,810
Loc: Canada
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Misting too much will matt the myc and ruin the pinning surface. A substrate can move water it gains through colonization more efficiently than it can water applied to the surface. As with most things in this hobby a balance works best. Though you can compensate on some things. There have been people who have done grows in open air simply by casing and regular misting. This doesn't work for many people due to lifestyle constraints but can indeed be done.
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Willy Wonka
Medicine Man



Registered: 12/14/11
Posts: 2,109
Loc: The Other Side
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I have been misting AM before work and PM before bed. I have been misting pretty heavily when I do. I avoid allowing water to puddle on the surface of the substrate, but I have noticed the mycelium is matting. It is very dry where I am right now so I will kill the fan. How late into colonization can/should a casing layer be added?
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Pastywhyte
Say hello to my little friend



Registered: 09/15/12
Posts: 37,810
Loc: Canada
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I would say that if its matted a casing might not help much at this point, a pic would be helpful to judge. But if your misting to compensate for too much FAE without a casing, you need to mist gently and light. Just enough to be adding some moisture to the surface.
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Willy Wonka
Medicine Man



Registered: 12/14/11
Posts: 2,109
Loc: The Other Side
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Well the first tub that I had is matted. It is already in it's second flush now. This is the original tub that I was working with and turned the fan on. I have a second tub that just reached colonization. It is not matted.
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Pastywhyte
Say hello to my little friend



Registered: 09/15/12
Posts: 37,810
Loc: Canada
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That is still in okay shape, I would go and case it ASAP
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Willy Wonka
Medicine Man



Registered: 12/14/11
Posts: 2,109
Loc: The Other Side
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Today I noticed knots are starting to form. Will casing it be okay with the forming knots or should I hold out now? I am off tomorrow so I will be able to case.
Edited by Willy Wonka (10/14/15 04:40 PM)
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Pastywhyte
Say hello to my little friend



Registered: 09/15/12
Posts: 37,810
Loc: Canada
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Yes that is actually when a lot of people who case with coir do it. Called "late casing".
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